<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>a wilted flower in your hands. by gagreflex</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25788370">a wilted flower in your hands.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gagreflex/pseuds/gagreflex'>gagreflex</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ambiguous/Open Ending, Flowers, Future, M/M, Soulmates, a flower with an overactive imagination, inspired by true love and distant lovers by 2814, poor angst, taeyong is mentioned like twice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 08:29:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,413</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25788370</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gagreflex/pseuds/gagreflex</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mark never thought he would blossom ever since finding out about Yuta.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mark Lee/Nakamoto Yuta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>a wilted flower in your hands.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“It’s almost like fate, isn’t it?” The rain splashes against the road, the bright headlights on cars illuminating the raindrops. The wind is harsh, and the umbrella in Mark’s hand nearly flies away. It isn’t doing much for them, the rain falling at an angle, getting them wet.</p><p>“I guess.” Yuta doesn’t hold Mark’s hand. The buildings around them fade away as Mark looks away from the flash of cars and up at Yuta’s face. He’s staring out at the street, hands in his pockets, the rain flattening his hair. It’s days like these where Mark feels like everything is never-ending. It’s all slow, and Mark’s heart consumes every fiber of his being. Yuta glances down at him, grinning, as if he can see through everything Mark is thinking about.</p><p>Mark had always promised to never get involved with Yuta, and Yuta believed that Mark would stick true to that. It isn’t as easy as it sounds, and Mark wished he knew better and figured out a solution before his heart exploded into petals.</p><p>“You’re foolish Mark.” The taxi arrives and Yuta gets inside, Mark trying to keep the umbrella over him. It doesn’t do any good anyways. The umbrella folds and Mark slides inside beside Yuta. There isn’t a person driving the taxi, and there hasn’t been a person driving for years now. </p><p>“You should’ve known I couldn’t control it,” Mark argues, the door slamming shut. The umbrella falls to the ground. Yuta doesn’t even look at him, and Mark shouldn’t have expected anything different. He’s running towards someone who will never stop for him. </p><p>“I’m sorry,” Yuta whispers after a lengthy moment of silence. The beating inside his ribs is painful, but Mark understands that it isn’t Yuta’s fault, but it isn’t his fault either. All he does is brush off Yuta’s apology, not seeing a point in it.</p><p> </p><p>Mark never thought he would blossom ever since finding out about Yuta. He’d walk through life like countless other people have done and will do. People might remember him, but he’ll never find the one person who will see him after all of them have wilted and crumbled to nothing but particles. Yuta is lucky, whether he wants to acknowledge it or not.</p><p>“Things can be wrong.” Yuta is leaning against the railing of Mark’s balcony. They’re above the strangers walking through the streets slowly, absorbed in their partners or themselves. Maybe there’s a few people down there who look up from time to time.</p><p>“Wasn’t I the foolish one between us?” Mark looks up at Yuta, sitting on the ground, his legs sticking between the metallic bars. “You’ve met Taeyong, haven’t you?”</p><p>“Can’t a soulmate and a lover be different?” Something squeezes Mark’s heart. “I know he’s the perfect person for me, as I am for him, but I don’t love him.” Yuta tilts his head downwards, his shoulder blades jutting out. His gaze is heavy, and Mark feels like he is being chained to the ground. </p><p>He can’t decide if it will be easier for him if Yuta does love Taeyong.</p><p>“I’m not your soulmate.” It’s a weak argument. The idea of his heart swelling and Yuta being there to hold it sends stars across his vision. Yuta hums, sinking to the floor. </p><p>“But I love you.”</p><p> </p><p>Even if Yuta was the one who started this, Mark can tell he is the one having the most trouble accepting it. </p><p>His hands are soft, and Mark could play with them all day if he was able to. Any touch they share shoots through his spine, and Mark knows he is only a single flower in Yuta’s alcove and he shouldn’t be experiencing this, but Yuta was the one who picked him.</p><p>“Would you still love me if I wasn’t your soulmate?” Yuta questions, dragging his fingers through Mark’s hair. Mark’s head tilts back, reveling in the touch. He finds it silly how something as simple as this could satisfy him.</p><p>“Yeah.” It’s the truth. Mark opens his eyes slightly, his vision zoning in on Yuta’s eyes. They’re warm. He wants to ask if Yuta would love him if he was his soulmate, but he fears the answer. With a sigh, Mark leans forward, Yuta’s hand falling from his hair, as he presses his nose into Yuta’s neck, thankful to feel him right here. His arms wrap around the other tightly, and he never wants to let go. Yuta doesn’t ask him to.</p><p> </p><p>The waves fight against the shore, and Mark fears they will drag him with. However, Yuta only runs deeper into the water, hands thrown into the air. The water is cold and Mark wants to grab Yuta and take them both out, back onto the safety of the sand. He tells himself the water won’t kill him, so he runs after Yuta, shouting for him to slow down, and Yuta waits.</p><p> </p><p>&gt; in a heavy breath.</p><p> </p><p>Burning desire fills his chest as he holds the umbrella, cars speeding through the street, splashing water onto the sidewalk. Mark is already drenched, so he doesn’t care much when more water falls on him. He never should expect too much when it comes to Yuta, but it’s hard for him to. This should be a lesson to move forward.</p><p>He doesn’t doubt, though, that Yuta still loves him, and that he especially loved him then. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m not in love with him,” Yuta exclaims, exasperated. Mark doesn’t look up from the floor, curled up on a chair, his face squished between his knees. “I only love you.”</p><p>“Why are you leaving?” Mark doesn’t want to think about it. There’s still plenty of time. Even so, Yuta doesn’t answer. “What am I to you? Just a pretty flower?”</p><p>“No,” Yuta replies immediately, kneeling before Mark. Mark moves his legs so Yuta can look at him better. “You’re much more than a flower Mark. You’re a person, and my lover.”</p><p>Nonetheless, in the end, all Mark will be reduced to is a small flower inside of Yuta’s garden. Mark can’t help but wonder if Taeyong is at the other side of the train ride. </p><p>“I love you,” he says honestly, reaching out and cupping the side of Yuta’s face. Yuta leans into the touch like he always does. </p><p> </p><p>Flames burn the night sky as Mark sits on the balcony, knowing he is the reason for all of this to die out. It was always his dream to be more to Yuta, to let him eat his heart and enjoy it. He has no idea where Yuta is now, if he is gone already or still around. Mark sighs as he screws his eyes shut, wondering if he’ll wilt alone.</p><p> </p><p>It’s snowing. </p><p>The train station is quiet and empty. The railroad tracks go on forever, and Mark searches for Yuta, wondering if he’s here. Fear eats Mark from the inside out, knowing if Yuta left already, then he’ll never see him again. </p><p>A figure stands on the other side of the track, and when Mark is close enough, he recognizes it as Yuta. Pressure crushes against Mark’s skin, but he doesn’t back down as he shouts, catching Yuta’s attention. Yuta pulls out his earbuds, surprised to see Mark.</p><p>“I’m sorry!” Mark shouts, finding it difficult to keep himself upright. The waves crash against the shore again. The earbuds fall to the ground. “I was just afraid. Afraid that you’d go to Taeyong in the end, that I wouldn’t be needed anymore.”</p><p>“Mark,” Yuta whispers, yet Mark can still hear him. Mark places his hands on his knees, his breathing difficult to control. </p><p>“I shouldn’t have second-guessed you.” Mark looks up, his neck hurting in dull pain.</p><p>Yuta extends a hand, and the pressure crushing Mark disappears. He steps off the side of the tracks, reaching his hand out for Yuta, wanting to grab onto him. A piercing ring sounds through the air, echoing off the walls. A bright light shines on Mark as Yuta tries to grab him, panicking. </p><p>Chugging comes from the tracks followed by a low whine. All of the feelings inside of Mark disappear as he hears breaks being pulled and a loud scream.</p><p>Yuta wraps his hands around him and holds him close. Tears stream down his face and Mark wants to wipe them clean. He wants to reassure Yuta and convince him to stay here with him, to not allow him to move on.</p><p>However, Mark is nothing more than a flower.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>to those who read, i hope you enjoyed!! this was lowkey just me wanting to put down all of the emotions i was feeling and it ended up becoming... something.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>